Life and Style with Terry Simpson

I meet Terry at her lakeshore boutique and, surrounded by beautiful things, we chat about life, style and what fires her up about her work. (“The people!” she says.)

Originally from Saskatchewan, Terry moved to Kelowna 12 years ago after realizing, she says, that life is too short to continue living in 40-degree-below weather. “In my late 40s I had a couple of acquaintances my own age pass away and I realized I had to make a change.”

Since she has been in the retail business for over 30 years, I wonder what innate quality has led to her success. She laughs. “I’m just an outgoing person, an effervescent person…although, last year I turned 60 so it’s petering off a bit.”

As we chat, the door opens and two women walk in. They are clearly regular customers, and as Terry’s effervescent personality comes to life, a conversation between them begins. I gather it is an ongoing dialogue that has been years in the making.

So I ask one of the women what she loves about the store, and she says, “It’s inspiring. When you walk in here it makes you think, ‘oh, I want that.’ It makes you want to do something with your house.”

Asked to describe the aesthetic of the store, Terry says, “Modern and current.” But she is quick to point out that she can’t take all the credit for the style of the shop.

“Barb is really the brains behind the operation,” Terry laughs as she talks about a woman who works for her. “I feel it’s good to have input from other people and Barb is an awesome merchandiser. I don’t buy anything for the store without running it by her first.”

Looking to the future, Terry’s vision is to continue to stay ahead of the curve on what Lexi & Lake brings to Kelowna. “I don’t follow trends; we set trends here.”

STYLE INSPIRATIONS & LIFE

Style icon: Nicole Begrand Fast.

Favourite piece of art: Tibor Hagerty painting.

Favourite fashion designer or brand: Tory Burch.

Favourite musician: Mick Jagger or Bono! It’s a tie!

Fave print magazine: Vanity Fair.

Favourite coffee table book/photography book: The House That Pinterest Built by Diane Keaton.